Dr. ChristineDodge Dept. of Entomology, University of California Riverside USDA-APHIS-PPQ-S&T Forest Pest Methods Laboratory
Trials, travels, and tribulations: the evolution of a biological control program
ABSTRACT: Biological control, the use of natural enemies to control a pest, can be a highly effective way of controlling pest populations and mitigating damage. However, a tremendous amount of work goes into ensuring that a biocontrol program will be successful, effective, and safe. As a loose average, it takes five to ten years to develop a biocontrol program, from the first detection of a pest of concern to the release and monitoring of its natural enemies. My work focuses on two invasive insects with very different biologies: a species complex of ambrosia beetles known as shot hole borers (Euwallacea fornicatus species complex); and box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis, a newly invasive but fast-spreading ornamental pest. These programs are at different stages in their development, and each poses unique challenges. In this talk, I will discuss the intricacies of each of these systems, share tales from the lab and field, and detail the progress that has been made in building each of these biocontrol programs.
NOTICE:Welcome back to CEC meetings of the 2023-2024 academic year! We will be holding hybrid meetings to accommodate COVID-19 precautions and audience members from around the world.
For those able to attend in person, we will have an informal dinner with the speaker at 6:00 pm at the Cambridge Common Restaurant. Our formal meeting runs from 7:30 – 9:00 pm in the Gilbert Room 101A of the Museum of Comparative Zoology (there will be signs to help direct). The meeting will begin with club announcements, followed by a 60-minute presentation by the invited speaker and Q&A. Membership is open to amateur and professional entomologists.
The 18 year effort to establish the American Burying Beetle to Nantucket Island, Massachusetts
MCZ 101, 26 Oxford Street, Harvard University
Louis Perrotti
Lou Perrotti, Director of Conservation Programs atRoger Williams Park Zoo
The American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus Olivier) is a federally listed endangered species once common throughout the eastern and mid-western United States and now surviving in limited habitats in seven states. From 1994-2011 an initiative to re-establish the beetle on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts has been carried out by a partnership of public and private conservation agencies. During the 18 year period, nearly 3,000 captive raised beetles were released at two sites on the 31,000 acre island. This talk will outline this 18 year effort and show how current post-release monitoring has confirmed that substantial numbers of beetles are reproducing and surviving over winter.
The talk is free and open to the public. The meeting is readily accessible via public transportation. Parking is available in the Oxford Street Garage with advance arrangement, as described here, or (usually but not always) at spaces on nearby streets. Everyone is also welcome to join us for dinner before the talk (beginning at 6:15 PM) at the Harvard Law School cafeteria, on the second floor of Harkness Commons.
CEC meetings are held the second Tuesday of the month from October through May. The evening schedule typically includes an informal dinner (6:15 to 7:15 PM) followed by our formal meeting (7:30 – 9:00 PM). The latter begins with club business and is followed by a 50 minute entomology related presentation. Membership is open to amateur and professional entomologists.
The Flipside of Biological Invasions: The Positive Social Impact of Working with the Asian Longhorned Beetle
MCZ 101, 26 Oxford Street, Harvard University
Asian Longhorned Beetle
Michael Bohne, US Forest Service
Forest Service Entomologist Michael Bohne started working on Asian longhorned beetle in Ningxia, China in 1999 and has been actively involved in the eradication efforts in New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. He will discuss his perspective on Asian longhorned beetle eradication, including experiences with management, research and public outreach. The presentation will highlight how entomology can capture the imagination of the public and how a person interested in working with insects can end up in a career working with people.
The talk is free and open to the public. The meeting is readily accessible via public transportation. Parking is available in the Oxford Street Garage with advance arrangement, as described here, or (usually but not always) at spaces on nearby streets. Everyone is also welcome to join us for dinner before the talk (beginning at 6:15 PM) at the Harvard Law School cafeteria, on the second floor of Harkness Commons.
CEC meetings are held the second Tuesday of the month from October through May. The evening schedule typically includes an informal dinner (6:15 to 7:15 PM) followed by our formal meeting (7:30 – 9:00 PM). The latter begins with club business and is followed by a 50 minute entomology related presentation. Membership is open to amateur and professional entomologists.
